Sanchez’s Man Utd tour arrival delayed by administrative issues

Alexis Sanchez has not travelled out with the Manchester United squad for their summer tour of the USA due to administrative issues.

The Chilean trained with his team-mates at the club’s Carrington training complex last week following their return to duty on Wednesday, but was then missing from the check-in list as they embarked upon their tour at Manchester Airport on Sunday.

On Monday he caused a stir among the United fan base by posting a picture of himself on Instagram with a new haircut, but all the while making no reference to his no-show status.

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But it has now been confirmed that Sanchez has been given time to resolve a personal administrative issue, and the club are hopeful that he will be free to join them within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Sanchez has been a key member of Jose Mourinho’s first team since arriving from Arsenal in January in a swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but much is expected of him in his first full season in United colours in 2018-19.

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The delay to Sanchez’s arrival is a blow for Mourinho’s planning for the US tour, which gets underway with a friendly fixture against Club America in Glendale, Arizona on Thursday.

The Portuguese’s squad is already shorn of 12 senior players on the trip due to their involvement in the World Cup. United will also feel the effect of seven of those players having reached the final weekend of the showpiece competition.

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Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku, Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Marcus Rashford are all yet to take their summer break and therefore not expected to return to club duty until shortly before the Premier League opener against Leicester City on August 10.

Mourinho has called up a number of youngsters for the trip to the US to fill the gaps, with highly rated young duo Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes among those making their first appearance on a senior tour.

United’s summer schedule includes International Champions Cup fixtures against AC Milan, Liverpool and Real Madrid before they return to Europe to face Bayern Munich in Germany in their final game before the competitive season begins.